The Big Time

You meet Holcomb’s songs on their own terms or you don’t meet them at all. On her first record in six years, this reclusive singer-songwriter retains her work’s odd structure, enigmatic lyrics, and coolish demeanor, all of which will endear her to fans. Holcomb’s quivering vocals, plain-spoken piano work, and shrewd inclusion of evocative instrumental textures (by Wayne Horvitz, Bill Frisell, and others) bring additional depth to already absorbing material.